Amusement device



A. W. SWENSQN LEM-,E99

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1952 S'Sheets-Sheet l Sept 18, 1934. A. w. svvENsoN AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 28.

1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept, 189 i934- A. W. svvENsoN 3,974,199

AMUSEMENT DEVIC Filed Nov. 28'. 1952 5 sheets-sheet 5 Patented Sept., l, )1F34 er rae teinte PATENT @FFECEE 38 Claims.

This invention relates generally to amusement devices and more particularly to va machine for playing base-ball.

The general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved machine by which a large number of the plays in the game of baseball may be simulated in a realistic manner, which isreliable and durable in operation and materially less expensive to construct than prior baseball machines capable of executing as many different plays of the game.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel machine for playing base-ball in which the movements of metal balls or the like are utilized to represent the movements of a base-ball or of the base-ball players and also to indicate strikes, balls, outs, scores or other plays or acts occurring in the game.

Another object is to provide, in a base-ball playing machine, a novel means for simulating the advance of a runner from base to base in response to the making of base hits.

A further object is to provide a base-ball machine having a novel means for advancing a representation of a man around a diamond and scoring a run in response to a succession of base hits.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide a novel means to vary the distance the runner is advanced around the diamond in response to a hit whereby to simulate the making of extra base hits. n

.It is also an object of the invention to provide a base-ball playing machine in which balls and hits are represented by the rolling of balls 35 into different guideways and a runner is advanced partially around a diamond in response either to a hit or a fourth ball.

A further object is to provide an amusement device having a new and improved means for indicating the accumulation of a plurality of plays or acts such as three strikes, three outs, four balls, a predetermined number of runs, etc.

Another object is to provide a novel means for restoring the indicating means above referred to to a zero or starting condition and for clearing the bases of the diamond preparatory to starting a new game or inning.

A further object is to provide a novel mechanism by which a base-ball playing machine of the above character may be locked against further operation after the execution of a predetermined number of plays of a particular character.

Still another object is to provide a novel mechanism by which the machine may be controlled by the insertion of a coin. y

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a base-ball machine embodying the features of the present invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively along the lines 2--2, 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the mechanism controlled by the making of base hits.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the strike and ball indicators.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the ball elevating mechanism, an indicator for recording outs, and the means for conditioning the machine for the starting of play.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the means for supporting and driving the rotatable part of the base-ball diamond.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevational View of the cam shown in Fig. 9. f y

In the machine selected for purposes of illustration, steel balls 10 are rolled along an inclined surface 11 and directed selectively, according to the skill of the player, into the ends of guideways representing a strike, a ball, a hit, or a fly-out. Balls entering the fly-out guideway are directed to an accumulator for registering and indicating the number of outs. Strike balls'are led to a strike register and indicator, the third strike ball being deected into the out indicator.v Balls entering the ball guideway accumulate in a similar way, the fourth ball being directed into the guideway representing a hit. Ay ball moving along the latter guideway is discharged onto a diamond and advanced from a batters position to a iirst-base position. Successive hits cause the ball to be advanced successively through second, and third-base positions to home base position whereupon the ball is deiiected off from the diamond into a score register and indicator. Upon the occurrence of a fly-out, a third strike, a fourth ball, or a hit, any balls which are retained in the ball or strike indicators are discharged therefrom and the indicators restored to zero condition. Provision is made for manual resetting all of the indicators and clearing the bases of the diamond before play is started.

Referring now to the drawings, the inclined surface over which the balls are rolled is formed of a correspondingly shaped box having a transparent top wall 12 directly above the table. Balls falling through different openings in the table roll down converging surfaces 13 into a sloping storage trough 14 which extends transversely of the box at the lower end of the table. In the present instance, the trough is disposed below the table and the balls are elevated one by one into a shooting position at the end of a narrow channel 15, defined between a rib 16 upstanding from the table adjacent and parallel to the side wall 17 of the box.

The ball-elevating means herein shown comprises a disk 18 (Fig. 4) of substantial thickness disposed between two plates 19 and fast upon a shaft 20 which extends parallel to the wall 17. One end of the shaft is journaled in a bracket 21 and the other projects through and is journaled in the end wall 22 of the box. On the outer end of the shaft is a handle 23 by which the shaft may be turned through a partial revolution in a clockwise direction from a normal inactive position shown in Fig. 4. In this position, which is determined by engagement of a segmental projection 24 with the side wall 17, a radial shoulder 25 forms a continuation of the trough 14 and permits the first ball 10 therein to roll onto the shoulder. As the shaft is turned, the ball is elevated and carried laterally over and above the shaft whereupon the ball will roll down a surface 26 into shooting position in a socket 27. In this movement of the disk 18, the peripheral surface 28 constitutes a stop for preventing the other balls from rolling out of the trough. The disk 18 is then turned back to inactive position.

A ball positioned in the socket 27 is adapted to be shot or projected along the guideway l5 by a plunger 29 having a shank 30 mounted in the end wall 22 for endwise movement longitudinally of the guideway. 'Normal1y, the plunger is positioned with its end disposed adjacent the socket 27 which is shaped so that upon retraction of the plunger against the action of a com pression spring 31, the ball will follow the plunger. Then when the plunger is released, the ball will be projected along the guideway at a speed determined by the extent to which the spring 31 is stressed.

When a ball is projected up the guideway 15 with the proper momentum, it will encounter a curved shoulder 32 upon leaving the guideway and be deflected laterally into an open area at the upper end of the table. Owing to the inclination of the table surface, the ball will tend to roll back into the open upper ends of a plurality of guideways 33, 34, 35 and 36 formed by ribs 37, 38 and 39 upstanding from the table. The ball may possess sufficient momentum to follow the shoulder 32 throughout its length and thus strike the free end of a resilient strip 40 from which the ball bounces back into the open area and eventually rolls down the table into one of th guideways.

In the present instance, the end guideways 33 and 36 into which the ball is most apt to roll represent strikes and fly-outs respectively and are formed with relatively wide open ends. Movements of balls into the guideways 34 and 35 represent balls and hits respectively; consequently, the mouths of these guideways are relatively narrower than the guideways 33 and 36, the ball guideway having a mouth somewhat larger than the hit guideway. It will be apparent therefore that by shooting the ball along the guideway 15 with the proper momentum as determined by the skill of the player, the ball may be caused to roll into the hit guideway either by being bounced back by the spring strip 40 or by leaving the shoulder 32 before encountering the strip.

Preferably, the guideways 33 and 36 converge rather sharply and terminate near the center of the table adjacent the guideways 34 and 35. A ball leaving the ily-out guideway is deflected by a rib 41 into a device for registering and indicating outs. In the present instance, the balls l0 themselves, when disposed in the indicator, are used to represent the outs and said device comprises a pocket defined by the rib 16, a side wall or partition 42 upstanding from the table and an end wall formed by the adjacent plate 19. For a purpose to appear later, the length of the pocket as determined by the side plate 42 is governed by the desired capacity of the out indicator and in the present instance is made slightly shorter in length than the combined diameters of two balls. As shown in Figs. l, 5 and 8, the pocket has a false bottom formed by a platform 43 projecting up through an opening 44 in the table at the end of the pocket and normally disposed flush with'the upper table surface. Herein the platform is bent from the free end portion of a plate 45 mounted on a horizontal pivot 46 beneath the table.' During normal playing of the game, a slide arm 47 is disposed beneath the plate 45 holding the platform 43 in elevated position as shown in Fig. 5. It will be apparent that as the arm 47 is withdrawn, the plate 45 will swing downwardly under its own weight allowing the balls in the pocket to fall through the opening 44.

To provide for indication of the number of strikes on a batter, the balls entering the guideway 33 roll into a pocket dened by the rib 38, an end wall 48, and a side wall 49. The pocket has a false bottom defined by a platform 50 (Fig. 7) disposed in an opening 5l of the table and comprising the flattened and upstanding end portion of a plate 52 disposed beneath the table and hinged on a longitudinal pivot 53. The opposite end of the plate 52 is weighted as indicated at 54 and normally tends to hold the platform 50 up against the underside of the table thereby maintaining the platform flush with the upper table surface.

The weight 54 is so proportioned relative to that of the balls 10 that the platform 50 will drop under the weight of one ball unless otherwise re'- strained. Normally the platform is held in raised position (Figs. 2 and 7) by means of a latch 55 which, in the present instance, is.fast on and hangs downwardly from a shaft 56 pivotally supported at opposite ends in lugs 57 upstanding from rib 37 and rib 58. Under the action of gravity, the latch tends to hang in vertical position in which a shoulder 59 thereon is disposed immediately beneath the edge of the platform 56 so that the latter is supported by the latch in the event that there is a ball in the strike pocket. It will be observed that movement of the shaft 56 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7 will withdraw the latch and allow the platform to fall which permits the balls in the strike pocket to fall through the table opening 51.

To detect a third strike and cause an out to be registered in the out indicator', the side wall 49 of the strike pocket is made approximately equal to but preferably slightly less than the combined lllltl diameters of two of the balls 10. Thus the third 1,5@

ball, rolling down the guideway 33, will strike the second ball and be deflected down a slight incline in the table surface through a passageway 60. The ball thus rolls into a channel defined by the wall 49 and the rib 58 and is guided by a continuation 61 of the latter in a wide curve across the lower Vportion of the table finally being discharged into the pocket of the out indicator. A rib 62 deflects the ball against the rib 61.

Fast on the shaft 56 and normally hanging downwardly therefrom in the channel defined by the rib 58 is a flag 63 which is struck by the ball representing the third strike as the latter rolls down the channel. The shaft 56 is thusy rocked in a direction to withdraw the latch 55 from beneath the platform 50. rJI'he latter is thus released and the balls thereon representing the first and second strikes are dropped through the table thus becoming separated from the third strike ball which is retained in the out pocket to indicate an out.

The balls rolling into the ball guideway 34 are handled in a manner similar to the strikes, being caught in a pocket defined by the rib 38, an end wall 64, and a rib 65 which latter also forms one side of the hit guideway 35 at the lower end of the latter. The hole 51 in the table also overlaps the ball pocket and the platform 50 also forms the bottom of this pocket. The length of the rib 65 measured from the end wall 64 is such as to permit three balls to be held in the pocket. The fourth ball rolling down the guideway 34 strikes the third ball and is diverted laterally down the inclined-surface of a passage 66 into the hit guideway 35 and thereafter performs the same function as a hit, the same as in aregular base-ball game.

When a hit, a base-on-balls, or a fly-out is obtained, it is desirable to release all of the balls retained in the strike and ball pockets. This is accomplished through the provision of flags 67 on the shaft 56 hanging down into the hit and fly-out guideways into the path of balls rolling therethrough. Thus, whenever a hit or flyout occurs, the shaft 56 is rocked in a direction to release the latch 55 and allow the platform 50 to be lowered under the weight of one or more balls that may then be retained in the strike or ball pockets. After the balls have fallen through the opening 51, the platform is immediately raised by its Weighted end 54 and latched in elevated position.

In the present instance, the ball resulting from making a #hit or obtaining a base-on-balls as above described is used to represent a runner and this ball is advanced step-by-step around a diamond in response to subsequent hits or bases-on-balls. For this purpose, a diamond is marked out on the upper surface of the table below the hit guideway with the home-base position at the end of this guideway. The major and central portion of the diamond is formed by a disk 68 having at each corner4 of the diamond a shallow depression 69 adapted to receive and retain one of the balls 10. The disk is rotatably supported in an opening 70 of the table with its upper surface flush with the table surface. To provide such support, the disk is fast on one end of a shaft 7l (Figs. 2 and l0) which is received in an upwardly inclined bore of a lug 72 upstanding from the center of an elongated bracket 73, the opposite ends of which are secured to the underside of the table.

Rotary motion in a counter-clockwise direction. as viewed in Fig. 1 is imparted to the disk 68 preferably bymeans of a contractile spring 74 having one end anchored at 75 and the other secured to a cord 76 (Fig. 10) wrapped at least partially around and attached to a sleeve 77 rotatable on the lug 72 and having a flange 78 formed with peripheral ratchet teeth.. Pivoted at 79 on the underside of the disk 68 is a pawl 80 constantly urged by a spring 81 into engagement with the ratchet teeth. A one-way clutch is thus formed between the disk 68 and the sleeve 77 so that when the spring 74 is under tension, the disk tends to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1.

Means is provided for stressing the spring '74 automatically as an incident to normal operation of the machine without danger of placing the spring under excessive tension. In the present instance, this means is operated as an incident to projection of a ball along the guideway 15 and comprises an arm or disk 82 fast on the inner end of the shaft 20 and having attached to its free end a cord 83 which is wrapped around the sleeve 77 in a direction reverse from that of the cord '76 and secured at its end to the sleeve. The length of the cord 83 is such that it wil1 be taut when the spring '74 is very lightly stressed and the shaft 20 is in the normal position shown in4 Fig. 4. Now as the shaft 20 is turned to elevate a ball into shooting position, the sleeve '17 will be rotated in a direction to unwind the cord 83 therefrom and wind up an additional amount of the cord 76 thereby extending the spring 74. As the shaft is turned back to normal position, the sleeve '7'7 is held by the pawl 80 against backward rotation and the cord 83 becomes slackened. Subsequent oscillation of the shaft 20 before the energy of the spring '74 has been released will merely take up the slack in the cord 83 and therefore will not increase the tension of the spring 74. In this way. the spring is wound to the proper degree automatically as an incident to normal operation of the machine and without any attention on the part of the operator or danger of over-stressing the spring.

The disk 68 is arranged to be advanced with a step-by-step movement to carry a ball 10 resting in one of the depressions 69 from the home-base or batters position successively through first, second and third base positions. These rest positions of the disk are determined by shoulders in the form of lugs 84 upstanding from the disk adjacent the depressions 69 and adapted to engage a stop 85 (Fig. 6) normally disposed in the path of the lugs 84 and adapted to be raised out of engagement therewith by a ball rolling out of hit guideway to a position overlying a depression 69 in the disk 68 when the latter is at rest so that the arm will be engaged and raised to release the disk by a ball rolling onto the disk as the ball reaches the depression.

Means is provided for arresting the motion of a ball leaving the hit guideway and insuring retention of the ball in the depression then located at the end of the guideway. Herein this means takes the form of a flat arm 88 integral with the rib 38a and projecting over the edge of the disk with its end 89 bent at right angles and around the depression 69 to form a stationary abutment. A ball rolling out of the guideway 35 is stopped by the end 89 and drops into and comes to rest in the depression 69 before the latter has moved to any appreciable extent. The downwardly curved end of the arm 86 also assists in quickly seating the ball in the depression. After the ball has been carried out from beneath the arm 86, the latter is free to drop downwardly thereby p0- sitioning the stop in the path of the next lug 84 whereupon the disk will be advanced a quarter revolution thereby bringing the ball representing the hit which released the disk to the firstbase position.

In a similar way, a second hit or base-on-balls will cause the disk 68 to be released again and the ball representing such hit to be carried to rst-base position, the previous ball moving to second-base. When a hit or base-on-balls is obtained with a ball in the third base position, the latter ball is moved toward `home-base and in the approach thereto strikes the arm 88 which pushes the ball out of its seat on the disk 68 and deflects the same into the upper end of a guideway defined by the rib 41 and a rib 90.

The ball thus removed from the diamond represents a score and is led by the guideway to a device for registering and indicating scores. In the present instance, this indicator comprises a pocket on the table having a side wall formed by the rib 4l, an end wall 91 and a side wall 9.2. The number of balls retained in this pocket at any time indicates the number of scores which have been made.

To provide for restoration of the score indicator to zero condition, the pocket above mentioned has a false bottom formed by a plate 93 (Fig. 3) pivoted at 94 and tending to swing upwardly under the weight of its end 95 so as to close an opening 96 in the table at the lower end of the pocket. The weight is insuiiicient to overcome that of a ball resting in the pocket and normally the plate is held by a pivoted latch 97 which swings by gravity toward the plate and has a shoulder which supports the plate. Upon withdrawal of the latch, the plate will be lowered by any balls in the pocket and such balls will drop through the table.

In order to reduce the number of balls which are required for operation of the machine, the balls accumulating in the score indicator may be released automatically when a predetermined number of scores, for example, five have been obtained. For this purpose, the side wall 92 is made of a length slightly less than the combined diameters of four balls 10 scthat the fth ball coming into the score pocket is deflected laterally through a passage 98 into the upper end of an adjacent pocket, formed by the wall 92 and a rib 99. The latch 97 is located at the lower end of the latter pocket so as to be withdrawn when struck the fifth score ball entering the pocket. The opening 96 overlaps this latter pocket so that all five of the balls are released and fall through the table. Thereafter, the platform is raised and the latch 97 reset automatically by the action of the weight 95.

Where the machine above described is adapted to be controlled by insertion of a coin, it is desirable to lock the machine against operation after a certain number of plays of a predetermined character have been executed, for example, after one inning of play as indicated by obtaining three outs. To detect the third out, the pocket of the out indicator has a capacity of only two balls as determined by the length of the side wall 42. The third out ball rolling into the pocket strikes the second ball and is deflected laterally through a passage 100 into a pocket between the wall 42 and a wall 101. At the end of this latter pocket is a hole (Fig. 5) defined by one side of the opening 44. The hole has a false bottom formed by a platform 102 on the plate 45 below the level of the platform 43. As the ball drops into this hole, it strikes an arm 103 hanging downwardly from a pivot 104 thereby projecting a lug 105 on this arm through an opening in the adjacent plate 19 into a hole 106 in the ball-elevating disk 18. The latter is thus locked against oscillation by the handle 23 so long as the ball is retained on the platform 102.

In the present embodiment, the machine is adapted to be conditioned for the starting of play by manual operation of a slide 107 (Figs. 1 and 8) supported for endwise reciprocation by brackets 108 on the underside of the table 1l. When the machine is adapted to be controlled by the insertion of a coin, the slide 107 is arranged to be actuated by a slide 109 slidably mounted in a guide housing 110 and having a hole 111 which, when the slide is retracted as shown in Fig. 1, is disposed outside of the box and adapted to receive a coin. As the slide 109 is pushed inwardly, the coin is carried into the housing iinally dropping through an opening 112 into a container 113 out of the control of the operator. A depending lug 114 on the slide 109 disposed between two lugs 115 and 116 on the slide provide sufficient lost motion between the slides to insure dropping of the coin before the lug 116 is engaged and the slide 107 actuated. Upon movement of the latter slide after such engagement, a lever 117 pivoted at 118 on the underside of the table is rocked and its free end carried against the latch 97 thereby withdrawing the latter and releasing the balls in the score indicator.

In the same movement of the slide 107, the diamond is cleared of any balls left on bases after the third out. To this end, a lever 119 pivoted at 120 is rocked and its free end moved into engagement with a finger 121 (Fig. 6) depending through a slot and rigid with the shaft 87. The arm 86 is thus raised permitting the disk 68 to rotate at least through one revolution during which any balls retained in the depressions 69 will be pushed off from the diamond in the manner above described. The balls will roll down through the table opening at the end of the score indicator pocket.

A third function performed in the final inward movement of the slide 107 is that of releasing the third out ball then acting to hold the ball-elevating disk 18 against actuation. For this purpose, the arm 47 (Fig. 5) by which the plate 45 is normally held in raised position is made rigid with the slide 107 so as to be withdrawn from beneath the plate as the slide is moved following insertion of the coin. The platforms 43 and 102 are thus dropped allowing the out balls to fall through the table which permits the latch 103 to swing back withdrawing the lug 105 from the disk 18. The plate 45 is again raised in the reverse movement of the slide 107.

To insure that the slide 107 will always be retracted to normal position before play is again started, there is an extension 122 formed on the slide 107 having a notch 123 which registers with the shoulder 25 of the ball-elevating disk 18 when the slide 107 is fully retracted. But as the slide is advanced after dropping of the coin, a lug 124 on the extension is moved into a position overlying the shoulder 25 thereby blocking the disk 18 against oscillation by the handle 23.

In order to simulate the making of extra-base ics hits and at the same time introduce an element of chance in playing base-ball with the machine above described, the invention contemplates movement of the disk 68 through a quarter of a revolution in response to a majority of the hits made by a player but, in other infrequently occurring instances not within the control of the.

player, the movement of the disk through a half, three-quarters or even a full revolution whereby to simulate two and three basehits and homeruns. In the present instance, this result is obtained with the desired irregularity of occurrence of the extra-base hits through the provision of a cam 125 operating intermittently during movement of the disk 68 to raise and lower the stop 85 so that under certain conditions, one or more of the lugs 84 will be skipped after release of the disk by a ball representing a hit. Herein the cam 125 is fast on a shaft 126 journaled in a bracket 127 on the underside of the table adjacent the disk 68 and carrying a pinion 128 meshing with gear teeth 129 on the underside of the disk. The cam acts on the stop 85 through the medium of a follower pin 130 reciprocable vertically through the table with its upper end bearing against the stop 85.

Formed on the cam 125 are one or more raised surfaces 131 which, when engaging the pin 130, hold the stop 85 above the upper ends of the lugs 84. When the intermediate or depressed surfaces 132 are presented to the pin, the stop is free to fall into the path of the lugs 84, Thus, in the rotation of the cam, the stop will bei reciprocatedl and the cam and the number of raised surfacesy on the latter are such that the pin 130 makes a fraction of one complete reciprocation or, as in the present instance, a whole number of reciprocations plus a fraction of a reciprocation while the disk is moving through a quarter revolution. In this way, the level at which the pin is disposed when one of the lugs 84 passes the stop 85 is never the same as when the preceding lug passes the stop. f

With the arrangement above described, the pin 130 will, in most instances, be lowered when the next lug 84 is presented to the stop 85 after release of the disk when a hit is obtained. But in other instances, the pin will be raised as the rst, second or third lug reaches the stop thereby permitting the disk to turn through a half, three-quarters or a full revolution to produce two and three base hits and home-runs respectively depending on the relation of the pin and cam at the time the disk is released by the ball discharged from the hit guideway. In this way, extra base hits occur rather infrequently and are not dependent upon the skill of the operator of the machine.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a machine in which nearly all of the important plays in the game of base-ball may be simulated, in part by chance but mainly according to the skill of the operator. Simplicity in construction is obtained by utilizing the balls 10 in many different ways to represent the movement of the base-ball and the base-ball players and to indicate different plays. The machine is rendered extremely reliable through the elimination of operating uncertainties resulting from the use of sensitive springs, electric controls, `1`and the like commonly used in base-ball playing machines heretofore constructed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A base-ball playing machine combining a table providing a plurality of sloping guideways having upper open ends into which balls may roll to represent strikes, balls, hits and outs, the ends of said ball and hit guideways being substantially narrower and arranged between the ends of the strike and out guideways, an ou indicator controlled by the third strike ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said out guideway whereby to register accumulating outs, a base-ball diamond on said table, means responsive to a fourth ball entering said ball guideway or a ball entering said hit guideway to advance a runner or representation thereof from base to base around said diamond, and a score indicator arranged to register the number of men advanced completely aroun said diamond.

2. A base-ball playing machine combining a sloping table providing an open area at its upper end and a plurality of sloping guideways spaced laterally of the direction of inclination of said table and having open upper ends into which balls may gravitate from said open area to represent strikes, hits and outs respectively, said table also having a base-ball diamond onto which the balls gravitate from the lower end of said hit guideway. a strike indicator arranged to register the rst and second strike balls entering said strike guideway, an out indicator controlled by the third strike ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said out guideway', means responsive to successive balls entering said hit guideway to advance a runner or representation thereof around said diamond, a score indicator arranged to register the number of runners advanced completely around said diamond, and means operating to restore said strike indicator to zero condition in response to the third ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said hit and out guideways.

3. A base-ball playing machine combining a table providing an open area at its upper end and a plurality of sloping guideways spaced laterally of the direction of inclination of said table and having open upper ends into which balls may gravitate from said open area to represent strikes, hits and outs respectively, said table also providing a base-ball diamond onto which balls gravitate from the lower end of said hit guideway, said strike and "out guideways having wider ends than said hit guideway and being disposed on opposite sides of the latter, an out indicator controlled by the third strike ball entering said strike guideway and each' ball entering said out guideway, means responsive to successive balls entering said hit guideway to advance such balls from base to base around said diamond, and a score indicator arranged to register the number of runners advanced completely around said diamond.

4. A base-ball playing machine combining a sloping table providing an open area at its upper end and a plurality of downwardly sloping guideways having open upper ends spaced laterally of the direction of inclination of the table into which balls may gravitate from said open area to represent strikes, hits and outs respectively, said table having a base-ball diamond at the lower end thereof onto which balls gravitate from said hit guideway, a strike indicator arranged to register the first and second strike balls entering said strike guideway, an out indicator controlled by the third strike ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said out guideway, means responsive to successive balls entering said hit guideway to advance such balls around said diamond, a score indicator arranged to register the number of runners advanced completely around said diamond, means operating to restore said strike indicator to zero condition in response to the third ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said hit and out guideways, and a common means operable manually to clear the balls from said diamond and restore said score and out indicators to zero condition.

5. A base-ball playing machine combining a sloping table providing an open area at its upper end and a plurality of sloping guideways having open upper ends spaced laterally of the direction of inclination of the table into which balls may gravitate from said open area to represent strikes, hits and outs respectively, said table also'pro- Viding a base-ball diamond onto which balls roll from the lower end of said hit guideway, manually operable means by which balls may be projected toward said open ends one at a time, a strike indicator arranged to register the rst and second strike balls entering said strike guideway, an out indicator controlled by the third strike ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said out guideway, means responsive to successive balls entering said hit guideway to advance a runner or representation thereof around said diamond, a score indicator arranged to register the number of runners advanced completely around said diamond, means operating to restore said strike indicator to zero condition in response to the third ball entering said strike guideway and each ball entering said hit and out guideways, means operable automatically upon the accumulation of a predetermined number of outs to prevent the further projection of balls into said area, and coin-controlled manually operable means adapted when actuated to render said last mentioned means ineffectual, to remove any runners then positioned on said diamond and to restore said score and out indicators to zero condition.

6. In a base-ball machine, the combination of a manually operable ball-shooting device, a receptacle containing a supply of balls, means including a part adapted to be moved through a predetermined distance to elevate a ball from said receptacle into shooting position, a base-ball diamond including a rotatably mounted member, a shaft having a one-way drive connection with said member, a resiliently extensible and contractible member fixed at one end and having the opposite end wrapped around and fastened to said second shaft, an arm on said rst mentioned shaft, and a cord having one end secured to said arm and the opposite end secured to said shaft and wrapped around the latter in a direction reverse to said member.

7. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table, a ball storage reservoir, means for withdrawing a ball from said reservoir and projecting the same along the surface of said table including a member movable manually in opposite directions, a base-ball diamond on said table including a part rotatable about an upright axis, a shaft having a one-way drive connection with said part, a spring element anchored at one end and having the opposite end portion wrapped around said shaft in one direction and secured thereto, said element, when under stress, tending to turn said member through the medium of said connection, a exible element having one end portion wrapped around said shaft in the reverse direction and secured thereto, the other end of said flexible element being connected to said member whereby the flexible element is placed under tension and the spring element stressed to a predetermined degree in a succession of movements of said member in one direction.

8. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table, a storage reservoir for balls, manually controllable means by which a ball may be withdrawn from said reservoir and projected along the surface of said table, a base-ball diamond including a member rotatable about an upright axis, an energy storing means tending when under stress to turn said member, and means operating as an incident to the successive operations of said first mentioned means to impart energy to said element but only until a predetermined amount of energy has been stored therein.

9. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table, a storage reservoir for balls,

means controllable manually by the machine operator to withdraw a ball from said reservoir and cause the same to be projected along the surface of said table, a base-ball diamond including a rotatable member by which a representation of a base-runner is carried from base-to-base, an energy storing element tending when under stress to move said member, and means operable as an incident to manual operation of said first mentioned means to impart energy to said element.

10. In a base-ball machine, the combination of a sloping guideway having an open upper end into which balls may roll to represent hits, a base-ball diamond at the other end of said guideway including a disk having an upper surface onto which the balls may roll from said guideway, a plurality of shoulders annularly spaced around said disk, a stop normally disposed in the path of said shoulders and arranged to be withdrawn automatically upon the discharge of a ball from said guideway, a plurality of upwardly opening depressions in said disk, one for each of said shoulders positioned at the discharge end of said guideway when its shoulder is engaging said stop, and a fixed abutment adapted to be engaged by each ball discharged from said guideway and positioned to arrest the movement of the ball when the latter reaches the depression then at the end of the guideway.

11. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway having an end into which balls may roll to represent hits, a base-ball diamond at the opposite end of said guideway including a disk mounted to turn about an upright axis and having upwardly opening depressions spaced around the disk ninety degrees apart, means normally tending to turn said disk in a direction to advance said depressions around the diamond, a plurality of shoulders spaced ninety degrees apart around said disk, a stop tending to move into the path of said shoulders and operable upon engagement with each shoulder to hold the disk releasably with one of said depressions at the end of said guideway, and means for withdrawing said stop as a ball moving out of said guideway reaches the depression then at the end of the guideway.

. 12, In a baseball playing machine, the comshoulders upstanding from said member and annularly spaced ninety degrees apart, a stop pivotally mounted for vertical movement into and out of the path of said shoulders and normally tending to move into said path, an arm rigid with said stop projecting into the path of a ball rolling through said guideway and adapted upon engagement bythe ball to be raised whereby to withdraw said stop and release said member for rotation through a quarter revolution.

13. In a base-ball playing machine, the com-- bination of a guideway having an open end into which balls may roll to represent hits, a baseball diamond including a rotatable member normally tending to turn about an upright axis adjacent the center of the diamond, a plurality of annularly spaced shoulders on said member, a movable stop normally tending to move into the path of said shoulders, and means actuated by movement of a ball along said guideway to withdraw said stop momentarily and thereby permit movement of the member until said stop is engaged by the next shoulder.

14. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway having an open end into which balls may roll to represent hits, a baseball diamond including a rotatable member normally tending under spring effect to turn about an upright axis, means normally retained in active position to hold said member against turning, and means actuated by movement of a ball along said guideway to release said last mentioned means whereby to permit rotation of said member at least through a partial revolution.

15. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway into which balls are rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a rotatable member mounted to turn on an upright axis and having upwardly opening recesses spaced ninety degrees apart and adapted to receive the balls discharged from said'guideway, said member normally tending to rotate in a direction to advance each recess from a hornebase position at the discharge end of said guideway successively through rst, second and third base positions, means for stopping said member with one of said recesses in home-base position and releasing the same for rotation through a quarter revolution in response to the discharge of a ball from said guideway into one of said recesses, and a deflector positioned to be engaged by a ball being carried from third-base to hornebase position and acting to force said ball oi from said member.

16. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway into which balls are rolled to represent bits, a base-ball diamond including a rotatable member mounted to turn on anupright axis and having a plurality of annularly spaced pockets adapted to receive successive balls discharged from said guideway, sa'd member normally tending to turn in a direction to advance each successive pocket from home to first base positions, means normally holding said member with one of said pockets positioned to receive a ball and releasable in response to the movement of a ball out of said guideway, and means operating automatically upon movement of a ball away from third base position to remove the same from the pocket on said member.

17. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of means providing a guideway into which balls are rolled to represent hits, a baseball diamond including a member movable f through quarter revolutions in response to the discharge of successive balls from said guideway and operable in response to a hit to carry the ball representing such hit to a first base position and in response to subsequent hits to advance the ball `through second and third base positions, a guideway having an opening located between third and home-base positions, means operable upon movement of a ball away from third base position to remove the ball from said member and deflect the ball into said last mentioned guideway, and a score indicator operable to register a score in response to movement of a ball through said second guideway.

18. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of means providing a guideway into which balls are rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a member movable through quarter revolutions in response to the discharge of successive balls from said guideway, said member operating to carry the ball representing each hit from a home-base to rst base position on said diamond and, in response to subsequent hits, to advance such ball through second and third base positions, and means operating in the movement of each ball away from third base position to push the ball 01T from said member.

19. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of means providing a guideway into which balls are rolled to represent hits, a baseball diamond including a rotary member movable through partial revolutions in response to the discharge of successive balls from said guideway, said member operating to carry the ball representing each hit from home-base to first base position on said diamond and, in response to subsequent hits, to advance such ball through second and third base positions, means operating in the movement of each ball away from third base position to remove the ball from said member, and manually controllable means for releasing said member for movement through substantially a complete revolution.

20. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway into which ballsare rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a revolving member normally tending to rotate and adapted to be released by each ball discharged frorn said guideway for movemet through at least a quarter revolution, said member when thus released carrying a device representing a batter on the diamond from home-base to first base position, a score indicator adapted to register a score as an incident to the movement of one of said devices by said member away from third base position, manually controlled mechanism for conditioning the machine for restarting of play including means to release said member for rotation through atleast three quarters of a revolution and means for restoring said indicator to zero condition.

2l. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table providing a base-ball diamond including a disk rotatably mounted to turn about an uprght axis and normally tending to turn in one direction, a guideway into Which balls may roll to represent hits, a plurality of shoulders on said disk, a stop normally disposed in the path of said shoulders and withdrawn momentarily from said path upon discharge of a ball from said guideway whereby to release said disk for rotation through a partial revolution, and manually operable means by which said stop may be withdrawn and so held during movement of said disk through substantially a complete revolution. 22. In a base-ball playing machine, the-com rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond includingta member normally tending to turn about an upright axis,'shoulders on said member spaced ninety degrees apart, a movable stop normally tending to move into the path of said shoulders and adapted to be withdrawn from said path momentarily in response to the movement of a ball out of said guideway, a rotary element driven from said member, cam means on said element, and a follower for said cam operable in the rotation of the latter to reciprocate said stop into and out of the path of said shoulders in a relation irregularly timed with respect to the movements of the shoulders past said stop.

23'. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway intowhichballs may be rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a member normally tending to turn about an upright axis and having a plurality of annularly spaced shoulders, a stop normally tending to move into the path of said shoulders and arranged to be Withdrawn momentarily from said path upon movement of a ball along said guideway, and means operating in the movement of said member to reciprocate said stop into and out of said path, said stop being moved thro-ugh a fraction or a mixed number of reciprocations during the movement of said member through a distance corresponding to the spacing of said shoulders.

24. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway into which balls may be rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a member normally tending to turn about an upright axis, shoulders on said member spaced" ninety degrees apart, a movable stop normallyY VVVball out of saidV guideway, and means operating automatically to move said sto-p into and out of the path of said shoulders during rotation of said member and out of timed relation to the movement of the shoulders past the stop.

25. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a guideway into which balls may be rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a member normally tending to turn about an upright axis and having a plurality of annularly spaced shoulders, a stop normally tending to move into Ythe path of said shoulders and arranged to be'withdrawn momentarily from said path upon movement of a ball along'said guideway, and means operating automatically upon release of said member in response to some of the hits to cause said stop to skip one or more of said shoulders and thereby move through an additional distance to represent an extra base hit.

26. In a base-ball machine, the combination of a guideway'into which balls are rolled to represent hits, a base-ball diamond including a member normally tending to rotate, means. operable in response to movement of a ball along said guideway to release said member for movement inta step of xed length, and means operating automatically as an incident to the movement of said member to vary the number of steps through which said member is permitted to move in response to some of the hits.

27. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table providing a plurality of guideways having ends into which balls are rolled selectively to represent strikes and balls, the opposite ends of said guideways being closed and bination of a guideway'into which balls may beY forming pockets for retaining balls therein to indicate the number of strikes and balls obtained, an opening in said table at the bottom of said pockets, a platform for closing said opening normally tending to move into closing position when said Vpockets are empty, a latch normally acting to hold said platform in closing position, and means actuated by rolling movement of a fourth ball coming into said ball guideway or a third ball coming into said strike guideway to release said latch and permit said platform to fall under the'weight of the other balls in said pockets.

28. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination or a table providing two downwardly sloping inclined guideways having upper Yopen ends into which balls are rolled to represent balls and hits respectively, said ball guideway havinga closed end adapted to retain three balls therein, a closure member providing a false bottom at the closed end of saidf ball guideway and releasably held in a position to close an opening in said table, a passage between said guideways through which a fourth ball rolling in said ball guideway is delected'by engagement with the third ball therein, and means operable in response to movement of a ball through the portion of said hit guideway below said passage- Vway to release said closure member and permit the other balls to drop through said table.

29. A base-bail playing machine combining a table providing a guideway along which-balls are VVadapted to roll to indicate strikes, a pocket at the end of said guideway adapted to receive two of said balls and having a false bottom adapted normally to close an opening in said table and support the latter balls, said guidewayrhaving a passage opening laterally along the surface of said table and thro-ugh which a third ball coming into said pocket is deflected by the second ball therein, an out indicator, means leading said third ball from said passage to said indicator whereby to register an out therein, and means responsive to the movement/of said third ball through said passageV and acting to release said bottom whereby to permit said rst two balls drop through the table.

30. A base-ball playing machine combining a table providing a plurality of guideways having open ends into which balls are rolled to represent strikes and hits, a pocket for receiving the balls from said strike guideway, and having a lateral passage through which a third strike ball is deected upon contacting a second strike ball retained in said pocket, an opening in said table at the end of said pocket, a false bottom normally held releasably in a position to close said opening and adapted, when released, to fall under the weight of a ball? in said pocket, and means operable upon engagement by a ball moving along said passage or alo-ng said hit guideway to release said bottom. l

31. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of means providing an elongated guide- Way closed at vone end and open at the other end to permit balls toY be rolled therein and accumulate in the closed end, one side wall of said guideway having an opening therein permitting a ball to be deilected therethrough upon engagement with the preceding ball entering said closed end,

the distance, measured longitudinally of the.V

Vbeing retained in the guideway before deflection o'f the next ball through said opening.

32. In a base-ball playing machine, the comvand home base positions on said diamond and.

bination of means providing an elongated guideway closed at one end and open at the other end to permit balls to be rolled therein and accumulate in said closed end, said guideway having a bottom opening at its closed end, a closure member normally held releasably in a position closing said opening, said guideway also having a lateral opening adjacent said closed end through which the next ball rolling into said guideway after the closed end portion has been lled will be deected, and means operating inA response to the movement of said last mentioned ball after leaving said guideway to release said member and permit the balls in said end portion to fall through said bottom opening.

33. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table having a guideway on its upper surface into one end of which balls may roll to represent hits, means at the other end of said guideway representing a baSe-balldiamond including a rotatable member adapted to receive successive balls from said guideway and carry the same from one base-depicting position to anoth-er whereby to represent men-on-base in the diierent base positions, and means operable as an incident to movement of each ball onto said member from said guideway to cause movement of the member through a predetermined distance.

34. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table having an inclined upper surface with a guideway thereon into the upper open end of which balls may be rolled to represent hits, means on said table representing a baseball diamond having home and second basesextending generally longitudinally of said guideway With the home-base disposed above the second base and immediately adjacent the discharge end of said guideway, said diamond including a member rotatable about an upright axis and arranged to carryv the successive balls discharged from said guideway through rst, second and third base positions respectively, and means operable as an incident to the discharge of a ball from said guideway to cause movement of said member through a predetermined distance.

35. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table having a guideway on its upper surface into one end of which balls may roll to represent hits, means at the other end of said guideway representing a base-ball diamond including a rotatable member adapted to receive successive balls-from said guideway and carry the same from one base-depicting position to another whereby to represent men-on-base in the diierent base positions, means operable as an incident to movement of a ball onto said member from said guideway to cause mvement of the member through a predetermined distance, a channel into which balls may be rolled to represent scores, and means located between third operable automatically in the movement of said member to remove the successive balls from the member and cause the lsame to roll into said channel.

36. In a base-ball playing machine, the combination of a table having an inclined upper surface With a plurality of guideways open at their upper ends to receive balls representing diierent plays in the game of base-ball, a pocket at the lower end of one of said guideways having a normally closed bottom opening and adapted to contain a predetermined number of balls, a. latch member controlling the closure of said opening and the retention of said balls in said pocket, said member normally assuming an active position but being arranged to be actuated and moved to inactive position by the next ball above said predetermined number rolled into said pocket or by each ball rolling along another of said guideways whereby to cause the balls retained in said pocket to be discharged therefrom.

, 37. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a table providing an upper surface along which balls may roll, a pocket closed at on-e end and open at the opposite end to receive balls rolled along said surface, said pocket being adapted to contain a predetermined number of balls before overflowing whereby the next ballv rolling toward the open end of the pocket will engage the ball at the open end of the pocket and be deected thereby away from the pocket, a movable closure member normally closing an auxiliary opening in said pocket and engaging the balls coming into the pocket whereby to retain the same in the pocket, and an independently operable latch element normally acting to retain said member in closed position and arranged to be engaged and moved to inactive position by said deflected ball whereby to release said closure member and cause the balls in said pocket to be discharged therefrom.

38. In a baseball playing machine, the combination of a table providing a guideway along which balls may roll to represent plays of a predetermined character and means for indicating the movement of a predetermined number of balls along said guideway comprising a pocket adapted to receive the balls moved along said guideway and having a side wall, the capacity of said pocket being one' less than the predetermined number of balls, said side wall providing a lateral opening through which the last ball of the predetermined number moving into said guideway after the filling of said pocket will be deflected by engagement with the top ball in the pocket, and a second pocket into which the deflected ball is deposited.

ARTHUR W. SWENSON. 

